Variable-speed mechanism.



A. P. ROGKWELL. VARIABLE SPEED MBCHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNEL1908.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

UNITED sirnfrnsggrnnr OFFICE, i

ALBERT F. ROCKWELL, 0F BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW DEPARTURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY; BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPOBI'ATION 0F CON- NEc'rIcUr.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it `known that I, ALBERT F. RoCKwnLL, a citizen of the United States7 residing at Bristol, county of Hartford, State of Gonnccticut, have invented n certain new and useful Variable-Speed Mechanism, of `which the following is a, r'nll7 clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings7 fornnng part of this specification.

This invention relates to a change speed mechanism. v

One object of the invention vis to provide means for eliiciently and expeditiously changing the speed' of n driven .parcwith..

relation to the speed @fits driving part.

- Another obj ect. of the invention is to adapt the change speed mechanism to the Wheel hub of a vehicle, as for example a bicycle, so that the Wheel hub with which it coiipn crates nieyhe'driven at ditlerentspeeds for 'well understood reasons.

Another object of the invention is tol provide means for permitting the driven part, whose speed may be changed, to coast or run free when the speed of said driven part exceeds the speed ot' the actuator or driving part.

'Another object of the invention is to pron vide means tor attaching the change speed mechanism to the driving Wheel huh of a bicycle, so that the change in the speed maybe elected by haclr-pctinling and in such munncr that upon 'toryv d -pcdaling the parn ticnlar speed which been select-ed by the back- )edaling moif'ement will be effected.

A urther object oiny invention isA to provide means Wherehy the high speed clutch will he positively held out of actionwhen the low speed chitch is in act-ion and vice versa. l A

A further object of my invention is to provide means for exerting :f1 maximum power, on the movable part when the lowr speed is used, this being desirable particularly when the change speed mechanism is employed in a bicycle hul), because the low speed is usually employed for propelling up an incline.

Other objects :ind advantages as Well as thc novel details of construction of this invention. will be specifically set forth hereinafter, it being understood that changes in torni. propmftion and minor details of conn struction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of, the advantages thereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is4 ak longitudinal, sectional view through a changel speed mechanism applied to the rear wheel hub of a bicycle; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 c`Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sec tional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. ,1; Fig.

4 is a sectional view on the line of `Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the low` speed clutch used in the particular form shown; Fig. 7 is e detail view of the clutch' actuator forming a part of the construction shown and with the sprocket or driver. re-

,.moved; and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal, sec

tional view through a wheel huh to which one ormof my invention is appliedfthe low speed clutch being shown in position toy drive the hub.

n the form of my invention illustratedV in the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated. the `change speed mechanism as being adapted to ,drive o Wheel huh at diterent speeds, and means is illustrated for conveniently shifting certain movable devices whereby the rider may attain the speedr ot which he desires to drive the huh by merely reversing the direction of rotation of the driverhand this may be conveniently per formed hy back-pedaling. I

In the form shown, l employ a rigidaxle .11, secured in the rear forks l2 and 13 of the bicycle frame in my Well known main ner, as for example, by coupling the bifurcatedends 14e and 15 of the re'ar forks be' tween the bearin cones 16 and 1T, at the respective ends o the axle, and the nuts 18 and 19. The bearing cones 16 and` 17l may be' threaded or otherwise Secured upon the axle sind form rigid bearings for certain co-l operating devices which assist in providing the chan e speed mechanism and which Y will he re erred to hereinafter.

As heretofore explained the change speed is effected through the driver Winch may be a sprocket 9.0. The driven part in the present instance is the hub 21, which receivesl its motion from the driver Q0 through the medium of intermediate mechanism which may be actuated to connect the driver direct to the driven part, so as to cause the driven part to move at the same speedA as the driving part, or the driven partmay be clutch actuator connected to the driving part throu h the iiiedilini of areducing geai', which wi l pei'- niit tlie driven part to receive motion from the driving part, but at a reduced speed. lrojectin laterally from the sprocket 2() and exteiu ing longitudinally within the hub, is a clutch actuator illustrated as a sleeve 22 having right and left hand threads, the right hand threads being on the exterior of the actuator, while the left hand threads are on 'the inner circumference of the Sleeve, it being apparent by reference to Fig. 1, that ,the sleeve or 'actuator 22 is s aced a suitable distance awa'yI from both tiie `iixle 1.1 and the hub 2l. .lhe exterior threadsla) 23 of the cliutch actuatorf are efna. corres n ing ortion o a shi tiieehi yh speed c utch inelinber 24 having a clutch acc 25 adapted to etlicientl engage the inner circumference of the hn as for example at'26. The inner threads 27 ofthe engage similar threads 28 on the reduced end ot a' shiftable low speed clutch member 29 whose clutch face 30 is adapted to move into andout of frictional contact with the tial-ed portion 81 of a gear clutch 32 comprisingr an annulns having exterior teeth 33. This gear is concentrically mounted about the axle and'it. is supported between anti-friction bearings 34 carried by the con 16 angririanti-frietion bearings in a recess ay thnjhehnb 21.. 'lhis "ear 32 y is at times free from engagement with thc supported on clutch member 2t), but it is at all times in enga .ment with the interior teeth 3T of'anannu ns 38 mounted eecentrically about the axle and gearhub.- This annulus 38 may be conveniently anti-friction devices 3%) can by the cone 16 and its exteriorteeth 4Q with thevteeth 4l. any rotary move.'- iiient given to the gear 32 wil impart movement tothe gear 38 and through it to the hub 2l. .By eeccntrically ymounting the intei'mediate gear 38 I :im enabled to mesh thc gear 32 directly with the gear 38 and thus dispense with the several pinions necessary to make` up a planetary gear and commonly employed `insuch mechanism for ric are at all times in mesh reducing the` speed, and furthermore, by this arrangement hss space is required for the introduction of the reducing gear, and

whilethe construction. of reducing gear is simplified, i-t is very etl'cctive, causing but little frielional contact between thc teeth of the eolwrating parts, and this l consider a material advantage under certain conditions, as for exam ile. when the change Speed gear is. applic( to a whccl h'ub.

vl have described the high speed clutch and the low spced clutch and l will now proceed to describe the manner ot o ici-ating them so that one will not be applied when the other Ilongitudinally and .axiall .that is to say 32 and' eccentrically to thc As heretofore stated all of' the devices are controlled from 'the master element 22 hcretofore described as the clutch actuator and which receives its movement through the rigid driving vpart or sprocket 20. This actuator 22 4is supported within the huh .21 on the anti-friction device 42 and upon the cone 17 by theanti-friction devices 43. Within the inner wall of the actuator 22 'is a recess, way or groove 44, to receive locking balls of pawls 45, which run free when the driver is moving in a forward direction, but which on back-pedaling ride on the cam grooves 46 in the'sleeve 47 to ,lock the actuator and said sleeve 47 together. 'lhe sleeve 47 is provided with elon ated slots 48 through which project the ri s 49 of a shiftable member 50. This shiftable mem. er 50 is providwi with an engaging tongue 51, having a cani face which may beprojectd into theV cani recess 52 in the cone 17 ri hd on the axle l1, or into i a relatively shalzllow' recess 53 in said cone. Intel-posed between the shiftable device 50 Aand the lolw speed clutch member 29 is a spring 54 which is normally assive, this spring is norma ly not under tension, as shown in Fig. 1. Now suppose. movement is iin artcd to the driver in a forward direction, tiethrcad 23 on theA actuator 22 will be effective in moving the high speed clutch the inner surface ofthe hu so that the hub and driver will move at thesame speed and thelow speed clutch will bev normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1 (or away from its clutch member) by a ring 55 held bv a flange 55l on the end of-tlie h1 h speed clutch and which may7 engage a im c v56 projecting fronlijthe low speed clutc 20, as shown inFig. 1. If the hub overruns the clutch member 24, that is to say, if its" speed exceeds the speed of the driver, as for exam le in movin down. an incline, the hub will e' permitted; to run free. But as soon as the speed ofi the driver exceeds thatl of the hub, the high speed clutch 24 will immediately ick it (the hub) up and lcontinuo to propeit This tendency of the high speed clutch to engage the hub will be aug-- inentcd b the expansive spring 57 which at all times bears against. one end of the clutch member 24. `Suppose the operatorvdesires to change his speed to the low speul, as for example in propelling a bicycle u an incline. A rearward rotation of the dJriver 20 will impart a rearward rotative movement to the member 22, so that the pawls 45 will ride on the cam faces 46 to lock the sleeve 47 and the actuator 22 together. The continued rearward `'rotative movement of the driver 2() will be effective in turning` the nxcinbcrO, so that its cani face 5l will'ride on the cam face of the recess and the tongue 51 will engage the relatively shallow 24 into enfrageinent with i recess 53, so as to hold themeinber 50 in advanced position and, put the spring 54 under compression.,

lt will be notedthat frictional en agement with the inner woll of' the hub, Wil. be held out of contact' therewith through the medium of the flange f which wil-l abut against the riiigq. The forward pedaling will 1in noivise interfere with the application of the loiv speed clutch,

because the high speed clutch will be heldout of cnfnigement with the hub and theexpiinsive firce of the Spring 54 will be' snf- A icient to hold the high speed clutch out of frictionsil engagement' with the huh of Vthe Wheel. When it is desired to return to the high Speed a. reversal of the movement of the driver, as in back-pediiling will throw tongue 51 out of .enge-gement with the recess and .let it engage the relatii'fely dec recess 52. U on forward pedfiling, then, t e high speed c utcli will be thrown into engagement with ,the interior wall of thehub and `the loiv speed clutch will be moved ont of engagement with its clutch member on account of theteneion of `the springl having been destroyed.

the Spring It is to be noted that the pringe are cepable of exerting different tensions upon their clutch members, :ind that in the pre-cent einbodi'nient of this invention. the. Spring 5'? is arelativel);Y Weak spring while ilur Spring is; :i `relatively strong Spring. Theiefore,` whenthe tension is reliei-*ed on" ing 54,

57 ill he eilective in exrv ting o sufiicient tension agair "t the clinch 34 so es to insiire its moving ii o clutching position with the hub. Whcn t Spring 54 isput mindere m'iii'eseion, however, the tension of the spring ai" overcome and then only the clutch 29 can move into clutching position and the clutch 2&4 is held out of clutching p03' named means from the driven pert'ivhen the be apparent 1'. In a device of the clase described, the

coi'nbiniitioii with a driving part and Aa the arrangement of the internieshed threads between the, low' .driving part,

driven meiiibei and the driving member ,driven part cina che gear interpcsedbetwiien the dliigvingpart und ttc driven part, clutches in engagement with t drivin-g part, one of saidv clutches bc` y adapted to be' moved into direct clutchingA position with the driven part and the other of said clutches lheilig adaptedto be move-d into clutching poeition with the change speed gear, sprin adaptedto exert tension against sad'cm 'Y es, and means foro cauei ff l one of said springs Sto overcome tle tension of the other of Said s rin 2. In a device .of t; e c ass'decribed,

combination with a driving partgl and a' driven part, 'of ,e .change speed gear interv posed.v .between the driving part and the driven part; clutches in engagement with the adapted to be moved into direct 'clutching position with the driven part andthe other of said clutches Vbeing adapted to -be moved into clutching" position with the change speed geur`I sprin against Said clutc es, one of Said springs'being normally not under tension,

one of said clutches' being and menne 5f adapted to exert tension for causing seid last-named spring to overcome the tension of the/other spring. l

3. The combination Witlijai drivin mem* ber end a driven member, of a clutctli :ictu-` ator rigid with the driving member sindl enl f; tending within the driven member, a plurality of gear elements interposed 'betiveenthc and arranged one 4within the other, oneo sind elements being eccentric with the elements with which it meshes.r one of seidv elemente having :i clutch face, and n clutch member actuated by the vclutch actuator for engagement with the clutch face sions t0 enable the 'driving part imho connected -t'ofor `discorriiected from tlice'lement having a clutch ffice. A .driving part. and o driven part', means, tof connecting the driving part rigid with the driven iiirt, si changev speed geni-.

llf

connected to ther riven part and adapted to bc connected to the driving part, said change )eed gear comprising elements one Within'l t e otheryaiid one of which eccentric to the elinent with which it meshes, sind ineans positively,` and directly controlled bye driving part for Vdisconnectiiig the rstdrii-'inginrt is connected to thefcliauge speed geni'.

ing seid clutches to move them to clutch said clutch-actuator directly with the drivenelethe nient oi with the change speed mechanism. 1

' hub about the same, a driver, means for conder Aactive tension.

ltive, a receiving part The combination with va rigid axle, of

a hub about the same, a driver, means for connecting and disconnecting the driver to and from the hub, a reducing gear, a clutch fonconnectin said driver to the reducing gear, means Ior moving said clutch into clutching position comprisingv a spring normally inactive, and means for putting said sprin under activel tension.

8. he combination with a rigid axle, of a hub about the same, a driver, means for conwnecting and disconnecting the driver to and from the Ihub, areducing gear, a clutch for connecting said driver to the reducing gear, means formoving said clutch into clutching -positn comprislng'a spring normally inactivepa kreceiving part' on 'said axle,y and a shiftablespring compressing element for engagement-with said receiving part.

9. The combination with a rigid axle, of a hub about the samel a driver, means for connectin and disconnecting the driver to and from t 1e hub, a reducing gear, a clutch for connecting said driver to the reducing geant means for moving'saiid clutch into clutching position comprising a spring normally inacon sald axle, a shiftablespring compressing element for engagement with said receivin part, and means for clutching 'said shifta le element to the driver upon t backward movement of the driver, movfment of the driver.

10. The combination with a driving part having a clutch-actuator rigid therewith and extending laterally rounding 4said clutch-actuator, a changespeed geur at the end of the hub distant. from the driving part, a'fclntch in positive engagement with the clutch-actuator and mlapted to clutch lthe hub, a clutch to operate the change-speed mechanism, and a connection )ositive y enga ing said last-mentioned c utch and clutdli-actliator and arranged to operate said clutch when the firstalmve-mentioned clutch is not in engag ment with the hub.

1l. The combination with a driving part und a driven art, a change speed mechanism interposedp between the driving part and the driven part and includin a shiftable clutch for engagement with t e part to be clutched, means for `actuatin said clutch, and mea'ns axially and longitudinally `shiftable and 'co erating with said means, where?)` shifting said clutch when the ar, a clutch for land for releasing it upon :forwardv therefrom, of a hub sur- -driver and for releasing movement of the driver.

first named' means whereby sa-idclutches last-named means is moved in one directl, and ineffective in shifting the clutch `whei. the last-named means is moved in an opposite direction. v

12. A driving art and a driven part, a change speed mec ianism interposed between the driving art and the driven part and including a siiiftable clutch for engagement with the part to be clutched, means for actu- "ating said clutch, and meansaxially and lon 1tudinally witi said first-named means whereby said first-named means will be effective in shift- ,ing'said clutch when the last-named means is movedI in one direction and ineffective in shifting means 1s moved in another direction.

13. A driving part and a driven part, the

driving part having a portionextending' within -tie driven part, threads or their equivalent on the exterior of the said porshiftable and cooperating..

the clutch when the last-named tion, a clutch to be actuated by said threads I so as to move into and out of clutching osition with the drivenv part, a clutch wit iin the said ortion and in threaded engagen'ient therewith), the threads on the exterior and interior of said portion being disposed so4 that a movement of the driver in either direction will impart movementA to said clutches in opposite directions, and a change g speed gear in mesh with the driven part and ladapted to be connected to the said portion of the driver through the medium of the second mentioned clutch.

14. A driven element, a driver, means for connecting and disconnecting the driver to and' from the driven element, a change speed gear, a clutch for connecting said driver to the change speedgear, means for moving said clutch into clutching position comprising a spring normally inactive, a rigid member'h'aving a receiving part, and a shftable spring compressing' element 4for engagement with said receiving part.

15. A rigid axle, a hub about the same, a driver, means for connecting anddiseon'-A necting the driver to and froin'the hub, a change spced'gear, a clutch for connecting 'said driver to the change speed gear, means for moving said clutch'into clutching position comprising a spring normally inactive, a receiving part on sald axle, a shiftable spring compressing element for engagement with said reccivin part, and means for clutching said shiftablc element` to the driver upon backward movement oi" theit upon forward 16. A driver, a art rigid'thercwith, a driven element, a cliange speed gear interposed betwecn the drivmgclemcnt and the dr ven element, and oppositely movable clu` ches in positive engagement with the' part rigid with the driver and provided with may be shifted through movement of the driver so as to or from the driven element, and a power drive the driven element :it the saine speed transmitting element interposed between the as the driver or at :i different speed. driven element and said second mentioned 17 The combination with :L support:l of, toothed element and eccentric to both. 5 :i driving element carried thereby, a driven In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my il:

element hnvingteeth, a toothed element consignature, in the i'esence of tivo witnesses. centric with the said driven element- :in ALB RT F. ROCIVELL.

adapted to receive motion from the driving Witnesses:

element, means for clutching and uiiclntch- H. N. TUTTLE,

' 10 ing the second mentioned toothed element to B. F. FUNK.

o l N Oi l Y c Si it is herehy certified that 'in Letters' Patent No. 942,220, granted December i', x'lQoQ, upon the application of Albert F. Rockwell, of Bristol, Connecticut, for an E l improvement in "Variable-bpeed Mechanism, an error appears in the printed speci- .D l *a ,l {ication reqiiiiing correction, as follows: Page 5, line 1l, the word driven` should oread drilling; and that the said Letters .Patent should be read with this correction therein, that the seme may contorni to the record ot' the case-in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of December, A. D., i909. i

\SEAL.} E. B. MOORE,

Correction in Letters R Commissioner Qf Patents. l

through movement of the driver so as to or from the driven element, and a power drive the driven element :it the saine speed transmitting element interposed between the as the driver or at :i different speed. driven element and said second mentioned 17 The combination with :L support:l of, toothed element and eccentric to both. 5 :i driving element carried thereby, a driven In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my il:

element hnvingteeth, a toothed element consignature, in the i'esence of tivo witnesses. centric with the said driven element- :in ALB RT F. ROCIVELL.

adapted to receive motion from the driving Witnesses:

element, means for clutching and uiiclntch- H. N. TUTTLE,

' 10 ing the second mentioned toothed element to B. F. FUNK.

o l N Oi l Y c Si it is herehy certified that 'in Letters' Patent No. 942,220, granted December i', x'lQoQ, upon the application of Albert F. Rockwell, of Bristol, Connecticut, for an E l improvement in "Variable-bpeed Mechanism, an error appears in the printed speci- .D l *a ,l {ication reqiiiiing correction, as follows: Page 5, line 1l, the word driven` should oread drilling; and that the said Letters .Patent should be read with this correction therein, that the seme may contorni to the record ot' the case-in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of December, A. D., i909. i

\SEAL.} E. B. MOORE,

Correction in Letters R Commissioner Qf Patents. l

j lt is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 942,220, granfed December 7, 19U9, upon the` application of Albert F. Rockwell, of Bristol, Connecticut, for an improvement in Variable-Speed Mechanism," an error appears in the printed speci- I ficatiou requiring` correction. as follows: Page 5, line 11, the word driven should read (ir/ving; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein, that; the .same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Letters Patent No. 942

l Signed and sealed this 28th day of December, A. D, 1909. [shan] E. B. MOORE` Correction in (fmmsso-uer of Patents. l 

